General Information
Several reports have come out declaring the recession over. I know we are not feeling it individually but this bodes well for us moving forward. The reason I say this is that airlines generally tend to lag any recovery by about six months. In addition several financial analysts have recently upgraded the Company's stock. This at least gives some hope of a return to profits for the industry in general and the Company in specific. This matters because as the saying goes; you can't get blood from a stone. At this time I know we are feeling like that stone. "The concession stand is closed" is a phrase I've heard loud and clear. As I write this I'm in San Francisco for continued negotiations with the Company and these reports lend strength to the Union's position. Like you I've had enough, and look forward to a strong agreement with wages and work rules that reflect our importance to the Company.
I recently saw an e-mail from a member from another city bemoaning the fact that the Airline Division is hiring pilots and not mechanics for staff positions. The email prattles on about no mechanics being on the negotiating committee. Most of the committee is comprised of mechanics, thirteen from United, but there is no sense using facts if it doesn't advance your argument I guess. I'm all in favor of taking the leadership to task on issues that matter, but does this qualify as an actual problem? Most of these new officers are former ALPA Reps and I've been impressed with ALPA's success for some time. In fact thinking about this, I can't really understand why this member has a problem with this. If they find a mechanic that excels at representational issues I hope they hire them, but I don't believe they should hire someone just because they are a mechanic. To operate in this manner would be opposite of what anyone with a modicum of common sense would do. As we've seen a lack of common sense and shooting from the hip has never served us well.
There will be limited reporting over the next couple of weeks as I will be out of the office for the most part with negotiations first in San Fran and then in DC next week. If I see or hear of anything interesting I'll post it to the blog.
MM
There were several issues worked on over the last week. The biggest was the shakedown because of the loss of several afternoon shift spots. I went over this with the Company for the shift bidding process. There were a couple of problems with ESS and a couple of member mistakes that were resolved. Most seem to understand the process but for those that have questions the Company looks at your first choice for shift placement and if you can't hold that they go to your second choice and if you can't hold that they go to your third choice and so on until they get to a choice you can hold by seniority. There was a question about posting these positions for five days prior to awarding them. The five day provision is for notification under Article VI H., of the current CBA. This provision states that you be afforded 5 days notice prior to your starting or stopping times are involuntarily changed. This provision does not force the Company to notify you that they are contemplating realignment. That is why it is imperative to keep your bids up to date, because while they do notify us many times, there is no guarantee of prior notice.
A second step grievance for discipline for a very minor delay was held last Tuesday. The hearing went very well for the Union. If the Company denies this grievance the Committee will appeal the decision to the third step. One thing that came up during the hearing is communication between mechanics. We have to watch over each other when working together or the Company could find an opening to discipline and they will do just that as evidenced in the hearing.
There are still several outstanding second steps that I am waiting on. I've been given answers verbally that several were sustained, but I'm still waiting for the written decisions. I am trying to work out a deal on the choice of physician third step and will speak further to LR on this grievance this week in San Francisco.
A committee grievance was filed on behalf of the class of mechanics that the Company is denying the right to exercise their seniority. They are doing this based on qualifications and as I've informed them this is against Article X of the Agreement. The Company's position is that the FAR's trump the CBA. Unfortunately for the Company nowhere in the FAR's are mechanics constrained to midnight shift for the purpose of receiving the appropriate training to bring their A&P's current.
GQ
Greg Pinelli is the acting manager in the shop. I've been working with Greg on an older grievance for dependability. In addition today the Local IAM committee informed me that one of their members was performing shop work in the form of painting some equipment with zone demarcations. I informed Greg this is our work and Greg agreed to ensure a stop practice on this and we will discuss it further when I return from the negotiations in DC.
PV
Steve Loughman left the position as manager for a promotion in Chicago. Before he left he gave me all the outstanding grievance answers that I was waiting on except one. He could not find the grievance for the Jetway outsourcing but he did inform the incoming manager that this was an open issue that had been filed in a timely manner.
The three answers I received will be processed to third step as they are all Article II scope violations.
That's all for this week,
Bob
